After uncharacteristic road losses last Friday, Starkville and West Point high schools both suffered similarly unusual drops in the new Associated Press Mississippi high school football poll, released Tuesday.
Eight Mississippi media outlets, including The Commercial Dispatch, were polled on the top five teams in each class and the top 10 overall.
Teams earned 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for a second-place vote, and so on.
Starkville, ranked No. 1 both overall and in MHSAA Class 6A last week, fell to fifth overall and fourth in Class 6A in Tuesday’s poll. The Yellow Jackets (6-1) were upended by Madison Central 15-9, putting an end to a previously unbeaten season. Oak Grove (6-0) took over the top spot in both rankings, earning six first-place votes in the overall poll and seven in the Class 6A poll. Oxford and Warren Central tied for second in the class, and D’Iberville was fifth.
West Point, meanwhile, suffered a second straight loss to fall to 4-3 on the season. The Green Wave lost at Grenada 28-21 in overtime a week after losing 35-26 at home to Lake Cormorant. Last week, West Point fell to ninth overall and third in Class 5A; this week, they were out of both polls. The Green Wave received just two points overall and 12 in Class 5A. Neshoba Central, Picayune, West Jones, Lake Cormorant and Lafayette were the top five schools in the class Tuesday. Ridgeland, receiving 13 points, was just ahead of West Point, too.
In other polls
— Heritage Academy (6-2) was no longer receiving votes among private schools despite beating Starkville Academy 27-18 last Friday in Columbus. Madison-Ridgeland Academy remained the unanimous No. 1 team in that category, with Leake Academy and Jackson Prep also in the top three. Jackson Academy joined the top five at fourth, and Greenville Christian was fifth. Heritage Academy will play at Washington School on Friday in Greenville.
— Noxubee County (4-1) moved up to second in Class 3A by virtue of its 60-0 win at Hatley and former No. 1 Columbia’s 7-6 loss to West Marion. Magee (six first-place votes) took over the No. 1 spot in the class, but the Tigers moved up from third to second. Columbia was third, West Marion was fourth, and North Panola was fifth. Noxubee County will host Choctaw County on Friday in Macon.
— West Lowndes (4-3) received a single fifth-place vote in the Class 1A poll Tuesday. The Panthers have won two straight games, beating Smithville and Noxapater. Nanih Waiya remained No. 1 in Class 1A, Biggersville and Lumberton tied for second, Tupelo Christian Prep was fourth, and Hollandale Simmons was fifth. West Lowndes will host Okolona on Friday in Columbus.
Here’s the ballot Theo DeRosa submitted for The Dispatch:
Overall top 10
1. Oak Grove (6-0)
2. Starkville (6-1)
3. Madison-Ridgeland Academy (8-0)
4. Oxford (6-0)
5. Neshoba Central (7-0)
6. Warren Central (7-0)
7. Picayune (7-0)
8. West Jones (7-1)
9. Leake Academy (9-0)
10. D’Iberville (6-0)
Class 1A
1. Nanih Waiya (6-0)
2. Lumberton (6-1)
3. Biggersville (7-0)
4. TCPS (4-2)
5. Resurrection Catholic (5-2)
Class 2A
1. Taylorsville (6-1)
2. North Side (3-0)
3. Enterprise Clarke (5-1)
4. Scott Central (6-1)
5. Puckett (8-0)
Class 3A
1. Magee (5-0)
2. Noxubee County (4-1)
3. West Marion (5-2)
4. Columbia (6-1)
5. North Panola (4-1)
Class 4A
1. Louisville (6-1)
2. Newton County (7-0)
3. Corinth (4-2)
4. Pontotoc (6-1)
5. Poplarville (4-3)
Class 5A
1. Neshoba Central (7-0)
2. Picayune (7-0)
3. West Jones (7-1)
4. Lafayette (5-2)
5. Lake Cormorant (5-1)
Class 6A
1. Oak Grove (6-0)
2. Starkville (7-1)
3. Oxford (6-0)
4. Warren Central (7-0)
5. D’Iberville (6-0)
Private schools
1. Madison-Ridgeland Academy (8-0)
2. Leake Academy (9-0)
3. Jackson Prep (6-2)
4. Greenville Christian (7-1)
5. Presbyterian Christian (7-2)
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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